“I can imagine continuing”
© Imago
After the ascent is before planning for the next season – right? In the case of Friedhelm Funkel to 1. FC Köln, this is not yet clear. The 71-year-old coaching routine opened openly for further cooperation in the coming season after winning the second division championship, in which he had led a club to the German football house for the seventh time.
“The question is not very easy to answer. Everyone knows how to stand with this club,” said Funkel at the press conference after the 4-0 against co -climbing aspirant 1. FC Kaiserslautern. “I’m a coach here for the third time. It was a lot of fun. We stayed so that we sat down after the last matchday and think about possible constellations.”
These conversations should be held promptly, Funkel is “open to everything. But we have to find out in the conversations what the club wants and how it imagines it all. I can imagine continuing.”
Funkel has sure to support the team. Defender Dominique Heintz said in the stadium at the “Sky” microphone about the coach, which was only set before the 33rd matchday: “Friedhelm has set us perfectly. This calm, which he brings in. This is simply insane. I wouldn’t mind if he stays with us for another year.” From the last two games, Funkel won two victories with FC and also overtook the HSV on the way to the title. The red pants, who rose a week ago, lost 2: 3 in Fürth on Sunday.
1. FC Köln: Funkel when staying on Heynckes’ traces
According to the “Bild”, Funkel can imagine another year as a chief coach if, as a team boss, he should work with a large staff. This could take a lot from his daily work. “I have an incredibly good coaching staff, so that you as a trainer don’t have to do as much as you were 20 or 25 years ago. I was physically quite good,” he said at “Sky” himself.
Should Funkel continue in Cologne, he would become the fourth oldest coach in Bundesliga history on the first matchday at the age of 71. Only Jupp Heynckes were even older at the age of 73 at FC Bayern, Otto Rehhagel with 73 at Hertha BSC 2012 and Fred Schulz, who died in 1990. Werder Bremen coaches the record holder in 1977/78 at the age of 74.
